British Columbia

Writer in Residence, Nelson’s Elephant Mountain Literary Festival, June 2022

So delighted to be Writer in Residence at Nelson’s Elephant Mountain Literary Festival. Blue pencil sessions with writers, a lecture on fiction, and hearing and appearing on stage with authors I deeply admire, including Suzanne Simard – who wrote Finding the Mother Tree – daring and thoughtful author Angie Abdou, iconic poet Tom Wayman, Magpie Ulysses, performer and playwright Lucas Myers, and others. Many thanks to Anne De Grace for inviting me to come to Nelson and be Writer in Res. This is a wonderful festival…

Photo of authors Shaena Lambert and Suzanne Simard standing together
Shaena Lambert and Suzanne Simard
Writer in Residence, Nelson’s Elephant Mountain Literary Festival, June 20222023-05-21T07:21:51-07:00

The battle to save the ancient trees of Fairy Creek

Here is an article I wrote for The National Observer on Fairy Creek. This eyewitness account of police violence was used by the Rainforest Flying Squad in the affidavit that went to Judge Thompson – who, as so many of you know, recently removed the injunction imposed on protesters who are working to save the old growth trees of Fairy Creek. This BC Supreme Court judge lifted the injunction because of the unwarranted brutality and over-reach of the RCMP, which he said was bringing the courts into disrepute. I am very proud that this article formed a written part of the evidence that led to this landmark decision. The trees are safer – at least for now – and the brave and passionate protesters have had a sizeable win in their yearlong-plus battle to save one of the world’s magical remaining ancient forests.

And here is an article on a tiny, rare lichen that has an outsized political footprint in the Fairy Creek battle.

The battle to save the ancient trees of Fairy Creek2021-10-06T13:52:12-07:00